Choosing the Ideal Mattress for Your Bed

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about memory foam mattresses and how they are much better than the standard coil mattresses. In truth, there are many types of coil and foam mattresses that provide you plenty of choices. It is important to consider all of your options so you can choose a mattress that is comfortable and allows you to get a restful night of sleep.

First, there is the innerspring mattress that receives its support structure from the wire coils. At one time, it was considered more coils equaled more support. However, it has been discovered that this isn't true. Rather it is more important to consider how a coil is constructed when determining the best mattress for support.

It goes without saying that a coil with thicker wire or heavier gauge will provide better support than a mattress with lighter gauge coils. There are some manufacturers who will compensate for these lighter coils by increasing the number of coils within the mattress. A mattress that has a low coil count but heavy gauge will seem firm in the store, but will quickly lose its firmness in your home. It is important to take this into account when going to the store to choose a mattress.

It is also a good idea to consider the types of coils. While there are many mattress manufacturers, there are only four general types of innerspring mattress coils that you want to consider. The first is the open coil or Bonn ell coil that is found in most mattresses. These coils are hourglass-shaped and use a small wire spiral called a helical to connect the springs. These coils are good for initial support, but when you start noticing the hammock effect, it is time to get a new mattress.

Then there is the offset coil that is similar to the open coil, but has a squared head. These coils are more durable and contour to the body better. Mattresses made from these coils often cost more. There is also the continuous coil that is constructed from a single wire. These mattresses have more coils than any other mattress construction. There is less stress placed on the coils with these mattresses so it can maintain its shape longer.

Lastly, there is the pocket coil, independent coil or marshal coil. This is a cylindrical spring that has been wrapped in individual fabric pockets. These mattresses have the most support of any mattress construction because of a strong contour system. This mattress is ideal for those that have a partner that moves a lot at night, but not for someone who is going to spend a lot of time in bed as the coils will get broken down quicker.

In 1991, the mattress world was changed by the introduction of memory foam mattress. These mattresses were considered the newest and best thing in the mattress industry. These mattresses are certainly a good choice, but again there are several things to consider in making sure you are getting the right bed for your needs.

Memory foam mattresses are graded based on their viscous-elastic properties and their durability. A material isn't viscous-elastic unless it is temperature sensitive and has the ability to quickly return to its normal shape. There are four factors that go into determining the grade of a memory foam mattress that you need to consider.

First, there is the weight of the memory foam mattress, which is the density in pounds per square foot. The weight is based on the foam quality and the chemicals that are used to make the foam. The density of a foam mattress shouldn't be confused with its hardness or stiffness, which is determined by the second factor. A foam mattress density can range from two to five pounds.

Second, there is the ILD rating or indentation load deflection. This rating can help you determine how hard or soft the foam material is. The ILD rating is a 25% of the number of pounds required to compress a 4" sample of foam with a 50 square inch indentation. The higher the ILD number, the firmer the mattress. The chemical reactions in a foam mattress means these numbers can vary greatly from eight to ten.

Third, is resilience. This determines the springiness of the foam by determining the percent rebound of a steel ball that has been dropped from 36" height. HR is used to describe highly resilient foam. The higher the resilience of the foam, the more durable it is to the force of compressions.

Lastly, is tensile strength. This tells you how much the foam can be stretched and is measured by pounds per square inch. There is also a percent measurement as to how much elongation can occur when stretching foam before it breaks. This factor isn't as important as the rest since the foam isn't likely to be stretched when you sleep on it.

There are many types of mattress and it can be difficult to choose with all the factors involved.

Thanks to Time4Sleep.co.uk for helping us understand the important factors that allow us to choose a mattress that gives us a comfortable night of sleep.